Friday, May 4, 2012

Congressman Tom Reed has introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives which strengthens the enforcement mechanisms of the requirement to publicly report results of cancer trials and research conducted with federal grant money. The goal of the legislation is greater sharing of cancer research results in the search for a cure to cancer.

“The more information available to all researchers, the greater the chance that we will someday find a cure for this horrible disease,” Reed said. “Public reporting of both positive and negative results will help other research be more effective and less duplicative. Enforcing the reporting requirement will not only lead to more available cancer research data, but also help every taxpayer dollar spent on research go further toward finding a cure.”

“We are so excited and thrilled that our Congressman Tom Reed is introducing legislation which is the result of input received at the Cancer Mission 2020 congressional district cancer summits held last summer,” said Gary Mervis, chairman and founder of Camp Good Days and Special Times/Cancer Mission 2020. “This legislation is helping us to take a first step forward in our efforts to end cancer by the end of the decade.”

Current law requires that the results of cancer research conducted with federal money be publicly reported. However, the enforcement mechanism is very weak and as a result not all of the cancer research conducted is reported. Reed’s bill will require that any unreported research be penalized by forcing full repayment of the research grant to the Treasury. In addition, the recipient of the grant will be ineligible for future grants.